Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson got drafted by Texas Rangers
His decision is the direct opposite of Kyler Murray, but Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson was also taken in this week’s MLB Draft.
Kyler Murray, the favorite to be Oklahoma’s starting quarterback this year, was taken No. 9 overall by the Oakland Athletics in this week’s MLB Draft. It seems obvious he’ll choose baseball, with a signing bonus of close to $5 million coming to him and a far less brighter future as an NFL quarterback even if he plays another year of football. But Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson was also taken in this year’s MLB draft, by the Texas Rangers in the 39th round.
Patterson transferred from Ole Miss to Michigan to play for Jim Harbaugh. He’ll be immediately eligible this year, as the issues under former coach Hugh Freeze led to the typical one-year sitting out as a transfer being waived for him and some other former teammates.
Will Brinson of CBS Sports.com had Patterson as a first-round pick in an early 2019 mock draft back in May (No. 24 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, for what it’s worth nearly a year out). So even without going 1,160 picks and 38 rounds after Murray in the baseball draft like he did, Patterson’s future is far brighter in football.
Shea Patterson has been selected in the #MLBDraft. 🤔
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) June 6, 2018
But we know he’ll be with us this season. #GoBlue | #ProBlue https://t.co/b3lUglJKtG
That tweet from University of Michigan football is a little troll job on the words Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley used regarding “knowing” Murray will play for the Sooners this season. That of course came before Murray went 25-30 picks ahead of his ranking on prospect boards. He’ll have over $3 million more coming to him now in a signing bonus, compared to what he would have gotten if had been drafted more in line with those pre-draft rankings.
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But Murray will be playing for the Sooners this fall, barring a shocking change of heart, as the A’s cross their fingers and pray he doesn’t suffer a serious injury. For Patterson, his name is far greater than his status as a baseball prospect and he has no decision to make between two sports.